Dusty in the Outwilds by Rhiannon Williams

Title: Dusty in the Outwilds

Author: Rhiannon Williams

Genre: Adventure

Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont

Published: 5^th October 2022

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 296

Price: $22.99

Synopsis: An enchanting new adventure. An unforgettable land. And the perfect read for young fans of Kate DiCamillo and Karen Foxlee, by beloved Australian author Rhiannon Williams.

Dusty has grown up hearing whispers about her mysterious aunt Meg, who went off to live ‘out wild’ and never returned. Yet Dusty’s father refuses to discuss what happened – and her only clue is a photograph of her aunt as a young girl with a strange, monkey-like creature on her shoulder. 

But when Dusty learns that her family’s beloved bushland property might be sold, she’s convinced that only Meg could stop it happening. So Dusty sets off to find her … and that’s when she discovers what ‘out wild’ really means.
The Outwilds are beguiling. Dangerous. And full of creatures Dusty half-remembers from old bedtime stories – beautiful, but deadly. Is Meg still out there? And even if she is, how will Dusty bring her home?

Bursting with fantastical creatures and starring a bold young girl determined to uncover the truth, this thrilling fantasy-adventure is destined to be a modern classic. Written by Rhiannon Williams, author of the beloved Narroway trilogy, this stand-alone hardback features stunning illustrations by Martina Heiduczek and is the perfect gift for readers aged 9+.

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Dusty’s memory is filled with stories of her aunt Meg, who disappeared at the age of thirteen – ‘to the Outwilds’, her father says, and never returned. He won’t tell Dusty what really happened, and she uses a photograph of Meg with a strange, monkey-like creature on her shoulder. Dusty is determined to find Meg – maybe if she finds Meg, she can make Granny better and help Dad and Uncle Buck get along again, and at the same time, save her family’s bushland property from being sold. That’s when Dusty sets off with her friends, Gus and his little sister Nico into the Outwilds to find Meg – and discover what ‘out wild’ means. The land of her bedtime stories is alluring and dangerous – with strange, beautiful, and dangerous creatures that populate the Outwilds, along with a few threats and an unusual discovery that will reveal long-buried secrets and truths.

Rhiannon Williams’ latest book, Dusty in the Outwilds follows a similar theme of children off on an adventure – though this one has a deeper, darker discovery than some, and deals with some heavy themes, especially towards the end. As Dusty, Gus, and Nico make discoveries in the Outwilds, they’re introduced to a new world not far from theirs, that is threatened by a poacher, and a world that Dusty’s father wanted to hide from her and his younger brother Buck, who has memories that he can’t make sense of and anger at his brother about their sister and the past years. It is a book filled with a sense of whimsical adventure and wonder with a deep, underlying message of family, tragedy, and hope. The story is one that has layers to unpack, and perhaps it needs more than one reading to appreciate it completely.

I found this story full of heart and soul – one where the characters evolve as the characters do, so we can see how they relate to the story, and what they bring to the story. Dusty drives the story, and she is supported by Gus and Nico, whose presence changes things at times, and one wrong move puts them all in danger as they explore the Outwilds in search of Meg. I loved that Dusty and her friends drove the story and that we learnt more about them as the story went on. The slow reveal of the truth was effective and heartbreaking, and I think all the clues started to point towards this conclusion, sad as it was. It was the kind of ending I thought this book might have, based on the feeling of the narrative, yet at the same time, I did hope that there was a happier outcome. This was one recommended by the children’s literature expert at my local bookstore and I loved it as much as she did.